The invention relates to an activating device for activating the clutch of a motor vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a clutch activating device which is able to maintain a constant activating force on the clutch during the disengaging action of the clutch.
German Patent Publication No. 2,303,538 describes a clutch activating device which has a drive mechanism acted upon by a spring to reduce the activating force during the swivel action of the pedal. The direction of the draw spring is reversed, with respect to the pedal, once a dead point position has been transgressed. The activating force can then be reduced. The spring is not encased and extends unprotected into tne engine area. The spring is held between a projecting control lever and a structurally rigid bearing support. This design requires a relatively large space and has disadvantages because when the pedal is activated, the space requirements are even greater.
The object of the present invention consists of creating an activating device of the described type which avoids these disadvantages and enables the creation of such a device with a compression spring with which it is possible to reduce and to maintain almost constant the activating force during a portion of the disengaging process of the clutch by means of a small structural unit which is simple to install whereby the spring is supposed to be functionally safe and encased.
According to the present invention, a structurally simple, easy to install and assemble, and very safe clutch activation device is provided which significantly reduces the activating force during the clutch disengaging process because of the change in the lever configurations on lever joints, providing easier operating conditions. One advantage of the device presented by the present invention consists of the fact that a relatively narrow unit is possible as a result of the flat design which is parallel to the pedal bearing axis. Because of the single, relatively short intermediate lever, the unit can be installed without large space requirements and does not require more space when activated.
In accordance with one feature of the present invention, the lever joints and the spring are designed in such a way that the activating force remains relatively constant at a pressed distance of, for example, 30 mm with only slight pedal swivel action and this is reduced further until complete spring action is achieved.
In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the control lever has a curve-shaped arc in which the intermediate lever is force guided. A constant activating force is achieved with this curved guidance of the intermediate lever so that foot action is more responsive.
The lever joints and the spring can be adjusted aporopriately to adapt the lever configurations and the moment of support to the various couplings. Adjustment is also achieved by an eccentric adjustment device. Any possible tolerances can be compensated and the force action of the spring can be changed.
Further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken with the accompanying drawings which show, for purpose of illustration only, embodiments in accordance with the present invention.